Pipe bowl cleaner



June 19, 1951 2,557,077

PIPE BOWL CLEANER Filed June 21,, 1.945

INVENTOR .fon mw JQ4/PA5 ATTORNEY freely exert a radial Patented June19, 1951 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE PIPE BOWL CLEANER Edward J. Clarke,Lima, Ohio Application June 21, 1945, Serial No. 600,742 3 Claims. (01.131-246) This invention relates to smokers appliances, and moreparticularly to an improved pipe bowl cleaner.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an efiioient,inexpensive, lightweight, compact, portable pipe bowl cleaner of simpleconstruction which can be carried in a users pocket.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a pipe bowl cleaner or reamerin the form of a flat continuous metal strip shaped in the form of a Uand whose arms constitute yieldable cutting or scraping edges. The openends of the U-shaped bowl cleaner are curved inwards to enable an easyentrance into pipe bowls of different sizes, thereby permitting theseends to fit down into and clean the bottom of the bowl.

A sliding clasp or retractor is movable over thelengths of the arms andpermits the arms to or outward pressure against the interior of the bowlwhen the retractor is positioned near the trough of the U, and serves tocontract or compress the arms of the U when the retractor is positionednear the open ends of the arms. This retractor may be in the form of ametal plate having a pair of spaced parallel slots for accommodating thearms of the U- shaped cleaner.

A feature of the invention lies in the use of a wire brush in anembodiment of the invention. This wire brush is hinged to the bottom andcenter of the retractor plate. When used for cleaning the bowl, the wirebrush is swiveled or pivoted to a position outside the arms of theU-shaped cleaner, and when not in use, the brush is positioned betweenthe arms of the U- shaped cleaner and faces the bottom or trough of theU.

Other" objects and features will appear from a reading of the followingdescription which is accompanied by drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention using a metallic plateretractor and a wire brush;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 looking down on the metal plateretractor;

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 1 illustrating in detail the swivelingaction of the wire brush; and

Fig. 4 is a front or edgewise view of Fig. l with a retractor pulleddown to the bottom of the trough and with the wire brush positionedoutside the U-shaped member.

Throughout the figures of the same parts are represented by the samelent reference characters.

drawing, the

or equiva- For finer cleaning, the

The reamer or pipe bowl cleaner of Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a U-shapedmember having yieldable scraping arms or blades I, 2 and a trough 3.This cleaner is formed from a flat continuous sheet metal strip,preferably of spring steel, so as to be resilient. The free ends of armsor blades I and 2 are curved, as shown, to enable them to enter pipebowls of different sizes and to permit the edges of these arms to scrapeand clean the bottom of the pipe bowl. The U- shaped member has suchlength and width as to be easily held in the hand near the troughportion when the free ends of the arms are inserted in the pipe bowl tobe cleaned. A retractor in the form of a metallic plate 6 is providedwith a pair of slots 1 and 8 for enabling the arms I, 2 to freely slidein the retractor as the latter is moved by hand over the lengths of thearms. The retractor is provided with a wire brush 9 having a bent orcurved handle I0 piv-' otally mounted at II to the bottom and center ofthe retractor. The bend in the brush handle I0 permits the brush to bepivoted out from the arms- I and 2; that is, swing to one side, so as tomove past the retractor and occupy either the position shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 3 or the position shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the reamer in its contracted position with theretractor near the open curved ends of the arms I, 2 and the wire brushpositioned between the retractor and the trough of the U.

The pipe bowl can be cleaned by the arms I and 2 when the wire brush isswun out and the retractor is in its lowest position as in Fig. 4. brush9 can be inserted into the pipe bowl, after the rough cleaning by theblades I, 2, for removing whatever carbon dust may remain on theinterior walls.

In order to level the top of the pipe bowl which may get rough afterusage, there are provided extension edges I2 on the retractor. Thisleveling process may be done at the start of the cleanin process whilethe retractor is in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In cleaning a pipe bowl, the top of the bowl may be leveled while theelements of the reamer are in the position shown in Fig. 1. The brushhandle II! can then be swung to one side, and the retractor lowered bypushing the pipe bowl down on the retractor. Further lowering of theretractor beyond the position determined by the depth of the bowl can bedone by hand. The bowl or the reamer can then be rotated 01' twisted tocause the edges of the blades I, 2 to loosen the carbon on the interiorof the bowl. Retractor or clasp 6 forms a hand grip to enable easyrotation of the reamer in the bowl. After this, the wire brush 9 can beturned to occupy either the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, or theposition shown in Fig. 4 for finer cleaning of the pipe bowl.

Suitable dimensions for a cleaner like that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are asfollows, by way of example only: The slots F and 3 may be spaced apartelevensixteenths inch. The blades may be three-eighths inch Wide. Theoverall length of the blades may be two and One-quarter inches.

The wire brush may be three-quarters inch wide-,.

and one inch long, and made of brass Wire which will wash withoutrusting, with a suitably bent wire handle. The retractor may be made ofmetal, about 0.055 inch thick by three-quarters by one inch.

What is claimed is:

1. A tobacco pipe bowl cleaner comprising a thin, flat, continuous,resilient metal strip shaped in the form of a U and whose armsconstitute yieldable cutting and scraping edges, theflat surfaces ofsaid arms facing each other, the base of said U- being in the form ofatrough, the distance across said base being always less than thedistance' between said arms under all conditions of use of said cleaner,the free ends of said arms curvin inwardly toward each other, saidarmsexertingoutward pressure when maintained in parallel planes, and aclasp holding and movable over the lengths of said arms, said claspcomprising a fiat rectangularly-shaped plate-like element having narrowparallel slots for enabling the arms of said cleaner to slide thereinand serving to compress said arms to a substantially parallel positionwhen placed near the center of said arms but permitting outward movementof said arms when placed near the base of the U, said clasp beingprovided with scraping edges on its surface facing the free ends of saidarms.

2. A pipe bowl cleaner comprising a thin, flat, continuous resilientmetal strip shaped in the form of a U and whose arms constituteyieldable cutting and scraping edges, the free ends of said arms curvinginwardly toward each other, an arm clasp holding and movable over thelengths of said arms, and a wire brush hinged to the bottom and centerof said clasp.

3. A pipe bowl cleaner comprising a thin, flat,

continuous, resilient metal strip shaped in the form of a U and havingarms constituting yieldable cutting and scraping edges, the free ends ofsaid arms curving inwardly toward each other, a flat arm clasp holdingand movable over the L lengths of said arms, and a wire brush hinged tothe bottom and center of said clasp, said brush having a length which isless than the lengths of said arms and having a curved handle permittingthe brush to be swiveled to a position on top of said clasp.

EDWARD J. CLARKE.

REFERENCES CITED The, followin references are of record in the file. Ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

